An African clawed frog underwater.

African clawed frog (*Xenopus laevis*).

Creator: Michael Linnenbach

Licence: CC BY-SA 3.0

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Species record

African Clawed Frog

Xenopus laevis

Explore the African Clawed Frog (Xenopus laevis) species record in The Ark Is Earth, including classification, habitat, distribution, conservation information, and sources.

Summary

The African clawed frog is a fully aquatic amphibian native to ponds and wetlands in southern Africa. Sensitive fingertips and a lateral-line system help it find prey underwater, while its hind feet bear the claws that give it its name. It is listed as Least Concern in the global IUCN assessment, and introduced populations are established beyond its native African range.

Classification in this archive

  1. Kingdom: Animals
  2. Phylum: Chordates
  3. Subphylum: Vertebrates
  4. Class: Amphibia
  5. Order: Anura
  6. Family: Pipidae
  7. Genus: Xenopus
  8. Species: Xenopus laevis

Habitat and distribution

Selected documented locations — not a complete species range.

Habitat
ponds, wetlands
Selected regions
Africa
Selected countries
South Africa

Conservation status

The Ark records: Least Concern.

Did you know?

  • African clawed frogs use sensitive fingers and a lateral-line system to find food underwater.
  • Their hind feet have dark claws that help them tear food into smaller pieces.

More images

An African clawed frog viewed from above.

African clawed frog (*Xenopus laevis*) viewed from above.

Creator: Holger Krisp

Licence: CC BY 3.0

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African clawed frog resting among green aquatic vegetation.

African clawed frog in a leafy aquatic setting.

Creator: Syrio

Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0

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Sources and attribution